


A Journey for Magic

by Cherushichan



Series: A Journey for Magic [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Reapertale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Swapfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - UnderBeats (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Alternate Universes, Demi-God Reader, Gender Neutral, I'll add more tags as they come up, Inpired by "Piece by Piece", Mostly Fluff, Other, Travelling through other universes, bit of a slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-08-07 14:17:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16410035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherushichan/pseuds/Cherushichan
Summary: You're a demi-God, trying to find a new home after not feeling like you belong in the mortal realm. You traveled up Mt. Ebott, the mountain that leads to the heavens, in hopes to find such a home where you feel like you belong. However, you find yourself pulled to a mysterious room where a shattered mirror stands- and a God that has long been forgotten by all.





	1. Finding a New Home

**Author's Note:**

> So this fanfic and how it'll progress later on was inspired by another fanfic on here that I really enjoyed called Piece by Piece by words_to_escape_by. I really suggest reading it if you like a well-written Gaster fic with lots of adventure and beautiful scenes painted by their words. The way it progressed was really well done and I can only hope I can achieve the same. Thank you for such a wonderful fanfic!
> 
> Also, I put "Other" for relationship because I wanted to keep the gender of the reader up for the reader to decide. If you prefer I put a gender to the relationship, feel free to let me know. It's my first official fanfic, so let me know how you like it! Anywho, I hope you enjoy!

You traversed the forest alone, an outcast among all of society. This doesn’t bother you, as you take solace in the quiet of nature. The closest human village is at least a day’s travel by foot, if you take your time. It’s very nice out. Flowers are blooming, and birds are singing. You even hear a squirrel chittering. Life is restored throughout the world and blossoms with renewed vigor. It has been for some time now.

You’re on your way to Mt. Ebott, the passage to the realm of the Gods. Sure, you didn’t mind living amongst the mortals, but it gets tiring. Day in and day out, it became more and more tiring to see the passing glances, the stares, the silent whispering. You love humans. They’re amazing and full of such wonder and ideas! They grow every year, making life easier for themselves, surely with the help of the Gods. Unfortunately, you’re not one of them.

With a hefty sigh, you find yourself at a pool of a river. Its waters are steady and clear, showing the fish that swim by. You go to have a drink. It’s refreshing, crisp. As you look down to get more, you can’t help but smile at your reflection. Inhuman, purple eyes stare back at you. Dull silver hair, much like far away starlight, ripples in the water. A pair of matching ears poke out of your reflection’s head, perked up high. You laugh when you see one twitch, showing sharp canines. You don’t see it in the water, but your tail happily wags about. However, you have pale, human-like skin. No fur or scales or feathers or even elements to cover you. This is why you’re so different, but it never bothered you.

The excitement you feel emanates from the slowly steadying reflection. You’re about to go on an adventure! One none on the mortal plane can even fathom! It fills you with such excitement, it’s hard to contain yourself, despite the reasons. With this in mind, you continue your trek up to the mountain.

Your trip up the mountain isn’t as perilous as you though it would be, but it surely wasn’t a walk to the baker. The slope slowly steepens as you continue; the trees thin out, making it harder to find something to hold onto if you slip; and it starts to get colder the higher you go. You’re not sure how high you must go in order to reach the Gods’ realm, but you feel you’re getting close.

There it is! You see the edge of a cliff- perhaps to a cavern. You had heard that the passage to your destination would lie in a cavern high up on Mt. Ebott. A renewed determination fills you, allowing you to climb up. Finally! You’ve finally reached your goal! Now all you need is to- You look inside the mouth of the cave, but don’t see anything. There’s no portal or entrance. No magnificent glowing heaven to greet you. Just a dark cave. No cavern.

You slowly enter, the cave being a decent size. It could probably fit two families of bears, maybe even three. You see an ominous, darkened archway in the back of the cave. It’s hard to notice from the entrance with the darkness, the very arch dark as the abyss. You approach carefully, trying to see beyond it, but to no avail. No light reaches in, no matter what angle you approach. Now a heavy heart weighs your chest down, making you plop down by this massive abyss. How could this be? You were sure this would be the start to a great journey! You were sure you would find a home among the Gods! You knew it! Yet this empty cave with its empty hole proves you wrong. Have the Gods just… closed themselves off? Surely, they haven’t turned their backs on mortals! Perhaps only the truly devoted, those who put their whole heart in are able to traverse their realms. That has to be it!

Your heart jumps at the thought, bringing you up with it. You can’t let this be the end of your journey! You can’t give up and go back! There’s nothing waiting here for you any way. You pace around the cave in thought, trying to come up with a plan. That’s when your eyes fall back onto the archway. Could it be…?

You approach the archway once more. You reach your hand in, but nothing feels different. It just feels like a normal entry way. Your hand doesn’t disappear, and no light emits from the darkness. It still makes you wonder. You stand once more, glaring into the dark depths. Going in could be dangerous. You can take much more damage than even the toughest human. You can live far longer- and you have, but even you can get hurt. You’re sure you can even die. You’re no God or Goddess in its entirety. You’re a Demi-God, you’re sure.

This leaves only the thought that perhaps this was once the way to get to the realm you seek to inhabit. Maybe… since you have some power, you can open the passage just enough to allow you entrance. It’s farfetched, but it’s the only glimmer of hope you have. You close your eyes and take in a deep breath. This will be the most important test you’ve faced.

You concentrate as best you can. You focus on your destination. You try to imagine a gateway, a portal to it. You try to envision what it might look like. You steady your breaths. You focus your magic. This is the most you’ve ever done with it, but you can feel it seeping through your form and to the archway. You’re actually doing it! You’re reopening the passage to the Gods’ home! Your new home! You have to steady your breath again, but you still feel your magic. A tingling sensation fills your entire being. You hear something like a crackling from the archway and open your eyes.

There, in the darkness, you see a faint light swirling in a circular motion. It’s a bright white light with a radiating green tinting the edges. You’re filled with a sense of wonder and awe, despite it not even filling half of the entrance. Is this the passage? You can’t see anything but white within the small circle, so you try to open it wider. It slowly moves outward, filling the hole just slightly more. It’s almost big enough to walk through. Just as you make it to a suitable size- not without difficulty- you hear something.

The center of the portal is dark, like the hole. It makes you believe you accidentally stretched it too big, but you hear the sound again. It sounds like… a voice. It’s distant and hard to make out, but you hear it, and it’s coming from the darkness within the passage. Before you can call out to it, it’s silenced as the portal snaps shut. A burst of magic explodes from it, sending you back. You skid along the cave floor for a few feet, but otherwise, no injuries are sustained.

You rise to your feet once more, now confused. What was that? Was that the realm of Gods? Who was that? They sounded distorted slightly, but you knew it was a voice. It was too quiet for you to understand, but it was definitely a voice.

You pull yourself to your feet, looking into the depths of the passageway. These thoughts swirl in your mind. The voice sounded so quiet, so soft. You shake your head. You have to focus! Maybe if you can get through to the Gods’ realm, you find them, whoever they may be. You dust yourself off and approach the archway once more. It looms over you, almost mockingly. A look is given its way before you suck in a breath and refocus. Feet planted firmly, your attention on your SOUL, you can feel the tug again. Your magic is seeping through again. Your brows knit together as your eyes close, the same swirling energy forming. It remains a pure white with green edging. You slowly open it again- slower than before.

Once it’s the size as before- or so you feel- you open your eyes. The portal is almost completely white, save for the edges. It looks almost like an oval galaxy, slowly and constantly swirling around. It’s certainly big enough for you to pass through, though you might need to duck down to keep from bumping into the top. You’re not sure what would happen if you were to touch the edges of the portal, and you’re not sure you want to find out the hard way.

You only give the portal one appraising look before deciding it isn’t the time to be awestruck. You quickly go through before the portal has a chance to snap shut like before, and you finally make it to your destination. You’re inside the realm of the Gods. You’re in their domain, their home. You’re in your new home. Hopefully.


	2. The Gods' Home and Their Forgotten Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You find yourself through the portal and into the Gods' realm. You feel like you need to go somewhere here, but find yourself being chased by none other than the Goddess of War herself!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's chapter 2! I'm so sorry I'm taking so long with posts and whatnot. I know two weeks is a long time.
> 
> I do want to thank everyone who read and gave kudos! I even got two bookmarks! I'm so thankful that so many people liked the first chapter. I hope you like how the story progresses! Let me know how you like it so far.

White. You see a lot of white. It’s bright where you are. It’s blinding when you first arrive. It takes a little while for your eyes to adjust. Everything’s so bright here! You’re in a white area, making it hard to tell where up and down is- or even if there are walls here! As your eyes adjust, you can see that the area is an open room with a doorway that leads to a hall. You only know it to be a hall as the walls start to darken just the slightest as they grow further from the room you’re in.

You start toward the doorway, feeling yourself being pushed by some desire. When you reach it, you look back to the room, finding an extravagant archway that mirrors the crude one in the cave. Its depths are bright, probably why the room is so bright. At the top, you see the symbol of the Gods. This makes you smile. You know you’re in the right place! It actually worked!

This gives you more drive as you now run though the hall. It doesn’t take long to get out and into a vast… nothingness? It’s white everywhere. You start to ponder about your surroundings, but something makes you start forward. You know standing still wouldn’t get you anywhere any way. Your eyes have adjusted quite well to the brightness of the realm so it’s easier to see some of the nuances of the area.

As you walk, you notice that things start to gain more color and shapes and structures start to appear. It’s beautiful! Just like you’d expect where the Gods reside! You see some areas where snow falls, some structures with waterfalls, and a couple that look pleasantly warm. They all seem to meld together perfectly.

However, you find yourself wanting to go in a certain direction, like you’re being pulled there by some strong desire. It’s just like leaving the room you arrived in, except much stronger. You find yourself running toward the direction after being frustrated with how slow you walked. You were never a slow person, but you want to go faster. Faster! Almost there! Wait. Almost where? Does it matter?! This might be what you were looking for! You pick up speed and-

“Hey! Who the hell are you?!” You spin around, startled by the sudden acknowledgement. Come to think of it, you’re surprised no one’s seen you before now. You guess it was a matter of time. You’re about to greet this entity but stop short. You see a Goddess. Her scales are blue, perhaps teal? Her long, red hair is tied back in a ponytail almost touching the ground. Her sharp teeth are in a scowl. Welp. You just found yourself confronted by Undyne, the Goddess of War. “I know I haven’t seen you before!” She’s some ways away and she doesn’t look too happy to see someone new. “What are you doing here, intruder?!” She starts to make a brisk pace toward you. 

You feel fear creep up into you. She thinks you’re- well… You suppose she isn’t wrong, but she seems to be on a war path. You’re not here to cause trouble, but it would appear she believes you are. Cyan spears manifesting proves it. You turn and start to run. The Goddess turns enraged and you can hear her give chase. You shout something back to her, but she doesn’t seem to take to it.  
You know you won’t be able to outrun the wrathful Goddess. You know from your own worship of the Gods that she isn’t a cruel Goddess, but she will do anything to protect. Perhaps if you can’t outrun or outman her, you can lose her. You take some twists and turns, go down corridors and passageways. She doesn’t seem to slow, but she’s not gaining as fast as you thought she would. You turn a corner and see a perfect opportunity. A low crevice you can hide in! You instantly take the shelter and silence yourself. You hear her run past, unable to see your hiding spot. It’s nice and low to the ground. 

Once you hear her footsteps fade away, you crawl out from your position. Scrunching up your body like that for much longer would make you sore, but you feel you don’t have time for something so trivial. That feeling hasn’t left you from before. That tug. It still pulls you toward… something. You decide to run after this feeling and not waste any more time.

Luckily, this tug directs you away from the direction Undyne had gone. You find yourself running, though you’re not bothered in the least. You’d prefer to run to get where you know you need to be, especially since you now know you might not have such a warm reception.

You keep going and find yourself at a doorway. It’s dark inside, contrasting the bright white walls that flank it. The walls had been blank and smooth until this abysmal, yet… shimmering? Wait. The doorway is shimmering! You reach out to it, but you hear something. It makes you flinch back. It’s the same voice from before! It’s distorted, but you can tell it’s a male voice. He seems to be… He’s calling for help! You need to help him! Hopefully he’s not some dark entity trapped away by the Gods and you’re about to release him unto them and the world, causing the worst imbalance since…

You take a deep breath and swallow your fears. No. You may not be the bravest person you know, but you can’t just let someone sounding so… desperate… rip his vocals apart like this. Who knows how long and how often he’s seen a glimmer of hope, only to have it crushed? Who knows how long he’s been alone, with no one to hear him. Maybe the Gods didn’t know he was here. Maybe something else trapped him. At least that’s what you hope happened. If it’s the former, you’ll do what you can to fix your mistake, but you wouldn’t sleep if it was some poor, trapped soul.

With a determined glare, you reach out to the glimmering field at the doorway. As your hand is about to touch it, you close your eyes tightly. Hopefully you can get through. Please… Please…

You open your eyes. You’re greeted by darkness before you, but you see the light from behind you on the floor. You turn around and see the shimmering field, the brightness you once stood in on the other side. You did it. You got through! You smile wide. You grin. You got through!

But a voice cuts into your inner celebration. “Who goes there?” The distorted voice seems to be coming from everywhere, but you turn around. You can tell it’s coming from behind you… somehow.


	3. Explanations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You learn of the mysterious room and who it is that had startled you so. Conversation ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to once again thank everyone who's been reading the fanfic! I'm in awe at how many people are actually reading, let alone following it. As thanks on this day to show appreciation, here's the next chapter! I'm thinking of making a Tumblr or something for A Journey for Magic. I'll probably have it up by the end of next week, so I'll link it at the end of the chapter when I have it up or in the next chapter if I'm running a bit behind. Again, thank you!

You see a nearly bare mirror standing there, only a few shards of its reflective surface still desperately clinging to its frame. But in front of it, stands a towering figure. They seem to be… melting? The bigger mass of the creature… being is black, but it seems to be a sheet of some sort encompassing its actual form, for you can see stars and the universe behind flaps. It looks almost like a bat’s wings as it drips black. You noticed, though. There’s no body. It didn’t bother you as much as the dripping. The figure’s head is a skull, dipped down look at you. A flair of black sits behind the head like a collar of a high official. The entire figure is hunched over, making you realize they’re probably much taller than they look- and they already come half a foot over you at least. It’s hard to take in every detail it offers other than this, as its image seems to shift and blink in and out of existence with another image sometimes replacing it.

You gulp audibly. Yeah. You just entered a domain of a creature locked away. For Gods know how long. And for what reason.

The figure scans your face before disappearing altogether. Frozen in fear, you stand there. You gaze at the mirror, seeing different pieces of a body in what little fragments remained on its frame. You see the side of a face- the face of the figure. The eye is black and hollow like you would expect from a skull, but it seems fitting. You see a mouth, taut and tense. You see a pair of skeletal hands clasped together, the pads of the thumbs pressed together. The images you see are nothing like the figure, but you know it is them- him.

The eye socket softens, and the mouth moves as the voice is heard once more. “I apologize for startling you. That… form is the only one I can muster to project outside of my prison here.” You just stare at this mirror. You look between the eye socket and mouth, unsure which to look at. This being doesn’t seem to notice or doesn’t seem to care if he does. “I… was surprised to see someone. I didn’t think anyone had remembered how to get here… Remembered this place even existed…” It almost seems as though he’s thinking aloud, his hands coming undone. It’s then you notice the holes in the middle of his otherwise solid palms.

Your voice is shaky when you speak up. You were never the bravest, but you were never a coward. Nor will you be. “W-who are you? Why are you here?”

This gets his attention. He had looked down before, but his gaze snaps back to you. “My apologies! I doubt you would remember, but I am- I was Gaster, God of Magic and Keeper of the Balance.” He spoke with a proud smile at first, but a chord struck him like lightning and his smile and voice became saddened with realization. “I am here of my own foolishness. Trapped in this mirror and shattered by a corrupted anomaly that had stolen a very powerful weapon from a very powerful God. I had thought myself better, stronger, undefeatable by such a small creature. They proved the impossible quite a reality, and then shattered it to pieces. No one had remembered anything about this mirror and the wonders it held nor I and all that I was.” Once again, his gaze wanders, off to the side this time. It slowly comes back to you once more. “And who might my impossible visitor be?”

As Gaster, as he says, speaks, something strikes you: something is familiar. It gives your head a quick thwack, making you wince slightly. You recover before he’s done speaking, but you’re sure he noticed. His voice is soft as he speaks and extremely calm. It makes you feel calmer yourself. The way he talks certainly made him feel like he was someone important, but someone gentle. You relax slowly, but give a sympathetic look, even as you give your name. “You’re… the God of Magic? How can someone trap you in a mirror?”

He can’t help but give a hollow chuckle. “An anomaly is capable of many things, including impossible tricks. This mirror was one I and another God once gazed into often to learn and to seek answers. The anomaly had tricked me into the mirror and promptly destroyed it before I could look for a way out. Tell me. How did you manage to enter this room?”

You stammer. Is this real? Did Undyne perhaps capture you? Did you hit your head and fall unconscious during the chase? His patience seems eternal as you stand there. You straighten yourself and clear your throat. “I… found myself at the… barrier?” His single visible eye socket watches you. You guess that’s what it would be. It felt tangible, but you were able to get through. “I don’t know how or why, but I just… It felt right. It felt like I needed to be here, and I know I wouldn’t have been able to ignore it.”

The God hums in acknowledgement. “And you were able to get through the barrier?” A nod is the only answer he receives. “I see.” His mouth slowly turns up into a smile. You’re not sure how to respond. It seems that he regards you with some familiarity, but you’re not sure how. You know you’ve never met him, but… he does seem so very familiar to you, too. “Would you perhaps indulge me? I’m sure you can imagine I don’t get to see any of my friends anymore. Not in person. It would be nice to have someone to talk to.”

You give another nod. It’s obvious how humbled and nervous you are. Your form is small and closed in on itself. You see that Gaster is being kind, but there’s something intimidating about talking to a God- even if he is trapped in a broken mirror. So, he talks with you, your answers and replies nothing if not short. The two of you talk for some time. Eventually, the air in the room seems less suffocating and his presence seems less and less intimidating. You find yourself giving a little more about yourself as he does the same.

“I see.” He regards you with thought. “So, you’ve travelled here to seek a new home?” You give a nod.

“I love the humans. They’re amazing! They’re smart, resourceful, clever, and they can be incredibly kind.” This makes you pause. He patiently waits, a neutral expression on his mouth and in his eye. “However, they’re also very scared of things that are different. They adapt to many a thing, but their fear of things more powerful than they swallows them whole. If not carefully dispelled, it can fester within their hearts and drive even the kindest of them to violence or hatred. I love humans. They’ve shown great promise and wonderful creativity, but I do not think I belong amongst them.”

The God of magic hums in thought. “I’m sad to hear.” His expression doesn’t change in the slightest. It’s almost hard to tell what he might be thinking. “Give them some time and patience. They’re fickle creatures, yes, but they’re not intolerant.” Now he gives pause. “Not all of them. It might take time, but I assume you have plenty.” You give a nod.

The two of you continue to speak for more time. It’s hard to tell how much passes, but you don’t seem to mind. It’s nice here. Sure, it’s dark, but you have a companion. He has a companion. It’s been some time since either of you have been able to just sit and talk like this with anyone. You find a smile coming to you as you two just speak about your lives before this very moment. You learn more about Gaster. Gaster learns more about you. He even smiles once more as you two speak. He seems just as comfortable as you. You could easily get used to this.


	4. An Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You talk with the forgotten God for some time and you two make an interesting arrangement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aha... So I've kinda been keeping up with a couple recent events and... Well I was planning on making a Tumblr for my fanfics and I guess that idea is out the window! ='D Holy crap it's imploding on itself. 
> 
> Anyhoo! Chapter 4! I'm really excited and so happy that A Journey for Magic is getting as much attention as it is! I'm just really sorry it's coming out a bit late today. The day's been busy and long. Let me know how you like it and if you think anything needs any improvement! I try to respond to comments and read them as they come. I really appreciate the love you guys are showing!

Time seems to slow, stop, and zoom by while you’re in this room with the fragmented Gaster. You talk with him as this happens, not even feeling it. When you do, you’re not bothered in the least. This place seems so familiar, but thinking about it makes your head hurt, so you just relish in the moments you have with this forgotten God.

You two talk about your lives, both the good and bad that comes with it. You tell him of living as a Demi-God in the human realm. It was tough, but helping the humans had its rewards. When he asks if you’ve met any others like yourself, you shake your head. You’ve never met any other Demi-Gods, but you know they’re out there. 

He confirms this. He tells you that the Mother of Life, Toriel, had combined human souls she would create with star dust to make half God, half humans. The King of Gods, Asgore, supported such a creation, and Gaster himself was intrigued with the idea. Thus, he oversaw the creation of the souls in case anything would go wrong. This news makes you happy. You’re not the only one of your kind. You’re not alone.

Gaster then starts to tell you of some of his own duties, including giving magic to certain humans. This is where mages and wizards come from. You note to yourself that his absence would account for the lack of any new mages. He continues and tells of how he had to create the two Gods of death- Sans and Papyrus. You know of them. You know of all of the Gods. You worship them like any human. This creation led to Toriel’s disappearance. She had run, disgusted with the creation of these Gods that would kill her precious children. Gaster knew she would be upset, but the balance must be, no matter what any God feels. You understand the sentiment.

You both continue on with your stories, trading them- and subsequently, a few jokes you both had heard. Laughs are shared, and compassion is given.

Gaster enjoys the conversations and tales as much as you, though his predicament might make it hard to tell. Only having one eye, his mouth, and hands visible through the pieces left on the frame of the mirror can do that. It makes him look jumbled and he doesn’t let how much it irks him show. However, he knows these moments cannot last. These moments he’s sharing with you are not meant to last long. He knows this. He knows he must let you go back into the remembered realms.

He waits for your tale of how you went through the human village near the mountain- and the subsequent journey up the heavenly structure- end. “Alas, I believe it is time for you to go. You have yet to find your new home in our realm, yes?” You nod. You can’t help but frown at the thought of leaving. “Do not worry about me. Your time here has rejuvenated my resolve and my mind. I will continue to seek a way out of my prison.”

Your mouth opens and speaks before you have time to stop it. “What if I help? Maybe I can help find the pieces of the mirror! I found this place, didn’t I?” He hums in thought. It looks like he’s about to reject the idea, so you continue where your mouth left off. “I know it wasn’t the barrier protecting this room I was drawn to. I think… it was the mirror itself. I think I can help. If not, then the worst that can happen is I fail.”

His mouth drops to a frown. “The worst that can happen is you die trying. I do not want you sacrificing yourself to only have a chance at restoring my form. Besides…” He gives a pause. His eye socket closes. “The pieces are scattered throughout the timelines. I do not think you capable of this task.”

It’s your turn to pause now, but the gears turn in your head. “Then I can at least gather the ones in this one. I can scour your realm, the human’s realm… wherever the pull might lead me.”

“And if it leads to your death?” His mouth straightens, making him impossible to read.

“I will be careful. Much more careful than I’ve been thus far. I cannot just stand idly by while you wait here for Gods know how long. It isn’t fair.” You give the broken God such a sympathetic look. You want to help him. You want to give him what you can to help him feel as whole as possible.

A sigh is heard. “Very well. I do appreciate your willingness to help this long-forgotten fool. However, if things should look dire, or your life should be in danger, I implore you to cease the search.” You give a nod. You both know the latter might very well be ignored. “I believe you will be able to take a fragment of the mirror. Be careful not to get cut.”

You smile, one slowly creeping onto his features. You approach the mirror and carefully take a smaller piece out of the frame. With a little jiggle, it easily slides out without even a snap. You examine the fragment, just a bit smaller than your palm.

“If I’m correct, I should be able to communicate with you and possibly see your surroundings if the fragment is out. That is a reality I’ve come to see, though I’m unsure if it’s this reality. Your satchel should hold the other fragments well. When you’ve collected all you can feel in our realm, come back here and try to get more from the human realm.”

You agree readily, smiling as you put the fragment you have in your satchel, moving your rations around. “I’ll do my best.”

Now he gives a nod to you. “May your journey be safe.”

You smile and thank him, turning to leave. You easily pass through the threshold of this strange room. And so, your new quest begins…


	5. The Quest Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You've stepped back out into the Gods' realm with your new companion and start your new quest. You encounter a couple obstacles and continue to bond with Gaster a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Sorry this is coming a bit late in the evening! (It's almost 9pm here). But I think the evenings are when I'll be posting new chapters. It seems to work out much better.
> 
> Anyway, I'm so happy to see everyone enjoying the series so far! I'm blindsided by all of the comments! It really makes me excited to see people this enthralled! I know I keep saying that I'm happy and excited for this, but I really didn't expect to get so much attention so quickly. I'm very thankful to you all. Always feel free to comment! I try to reply when I can and I read every last one! Anyhoo! Enjoy!

You’re back out into the realm of the Gods and take a deep breath for resolve. You were just asked by Gaster, the former God of Magic and Keeper of the Balance to gather the shards of a powerful mirror that can see into different realities. This, of course, is after you just so happened to stumble into the room where said mirror is. You can’t help but turn back around to the barrier that protects the room. Only it’s not there anymore. You note that you need to learn how to wield magic.

 

You let out the breath you were holding in disbelief. Maybe you didn’t just experience this? You scratch your head. The satchel! You go into it and sure enough, you did just meet a God trapped and shattered. The shard of the mirror is still there. You see a little bit of Gaster in the shard. You pull it out and you see his eye socket- the same you had stared into while he spoke- and half of his mouth. Just that half of his face along with the top of his shoulder. Not even his neck is visible. You smile, as does he.

 

“Are you ready, ____?” He looks up to you from the shard. You look down to him. A single nod is his answer. He gives a small smile in return. “Good. You’ll need to be careful if Undyne does see you as an intruder. I regret to say that uttering my name will have no effect on her decision. She is stubborn and does not remember me, nor does anyone here. You will need to use your wit and reflexes to avoid her and her spears.”

 

And this is what you were afraid of. You’re not one for confrontation, but it looks like if you can’t avoid the Goddess of War, you’ll have to start getting used to it. With a sigh, you nod. “Hopefully I won’t have to fight her. I don’t like fighting…”

 

“You will surely lose if you try.” Your lips stretch into a thin line. “I apologize, but Undyne is not the Goddess of War for nothing. She excels in combat, besting most.” This makes you pause. Gaster seems to understand your questioning look as he answers before you can ask. “She has nearly bested me, and she has yet to defeat our king, Asgore.”

 

Oh. She nearly beat Gaster? You guess his magic would be strong since he’s the God that creates it. “All right. Hopefully she can be reasoned with if I’m cornered.”

 

He hesitates. Why did he hesitate? Hesitating isn’t a good sign. “Given the right wording, yes. However, it’s a daunting task. I don’t exaggerate when I say she is _extremely_ stubborn.” Great. “We should move quickly. Anyone can come around at any time.”

 

Right. You have a task. You inhale and exhale, starting to move forward. You’re not sure where to go, so you pick a random direction. The area echoes with running and splashing water. You listen to it as you walk, still holding onto the shard.

 

After a little while, you come to a pool of water. You’re reminded of your journey here. Your lips pull up into a smile at this thought as you’ve enjoyed the trek up the mountain. The scenery was beautiful, much like here. You decide to sit down to take a break from walking and dip your feet into the water. It’s cool and refreshing, making your feet feel wonderful and your exhalation mirrors this relief. “It’s been some time since I’ve been able to see this area.”

 

You hold the shard in your hands. “Would you like me to show you the entire area?” He smiles. That’s all the answer you need. You hold the shard up and show him the entirety of the area, even showing the reflection of the water moving on the ceiling. “It’s beautiful, right?” You can’t help but smile as you bring him back to look at you.

 

His smile is genuine, and he nods. “It is indeed just as beautiful as I remember.” You both gaze at the scenery, smiles crossing your visages. The soft sound of the water flowing calms you both as your feet soak in the water. Just then, you feel a tug on your heart. It’s a hard tug, strong enough to get a physical reaction. Just a grunt. This makes your new friend look up to you. “Are you all right?”

 

You nod. “Yes. I feel the same pull I did to get to the mirror.” He looks more serious now. You understand what must be done and you stand, putting the shard into your satchel. The sound of your feet pitter pattering on the floor echoes over the sound of water. But something stops you.

 

“Did you find it?”

 

“…Shh…” No. Oh no. No no no. You hear footsteps. Oh, please not footsteps. You run. You run as fast as your feet can take you. Only after a few minutes of running do you stop. You steady your breathing to listen and find that the footsteps are gone. A breath of relief escapes you. “I heard someone else.”

 

The silence in your satchel worries you. Did something happen? Is he in as much shock as you? Did the shard _break_?! Oh Gods… You rush to open the carrier bag and grab the shard. You do cut yourself, but your worry allows you to ignore the slight sting. Half of a shocked face looks to you. “Are you all right? I thought they might still be pursuing you.”

 

He’s okay. Good. You shake your head. “No, no. They’re gone.” You give a chuckle. “I thought I broke the shard. I’m glad to see I didn’t.” A smile shows the relief you feel.

 

Gaster looks surprised for a moment before he chuckles. “You shouldn’t worry about that. Even if you do break the shard, putting it back into the mirror would fix it. Or it should.” He doesn’t seem certain, but you still give a worried look.

 

“But would it restore you back?”

 

He stops in his thoughts, staring at you with a wide eye socket. “… What?” He pauses.

 

“Shattering the shard. It would hurt you, would it not?”

 

He falls silent, but only for a moment. He can’t help but to laugh a little. He laughed. It’s not a bad sound coming from him. “Oh, it would disorient me at most for a little while, but not long. It would be nothing like shattering the entire mirror.” Oh. That’s reassuring, slightly. “I appreciate your concern for me. It’s endearing to know you care.” The soft, genuine smile he gives makes you smile more. You want to help him so you can see that smile on the entirety of his face. You want to see him whole so he can smile like this more and see the beautiful sights of his world with both eyes again.

 

“Of course. Why would I not?”

 

It’s a simple, rhetorical question, but it makes Gaster realize something. He can’t help but to smile more. It makes you smile in response. “You’re a very kind soul, ____, especially to help an old, forgotten God that had tried to scare you off without a second thought.” And you were so quick to agree given the circumstances.

 

You’ve always wanted to help people, even if they’ve wronged you. You like to see the best in people. Everyone deserves to be shown some common decency. It’s a mentality you’ve had since you could remember. Of course a God would be able to see this.

 

“Don’t worry about it. I’m not that easy to scare off.” You laugh a little. Then you feel that tug again. “We should get going, though. I think we’re close.”

 

Gaster gives a nod and you continue. You start off walking. The further you go, the more anxiety you feel welling up in your gut. You start speeding up your pace until you’re at a light jog. You almost forget that you’re holding a piece of silver-backed glass. Gaster gives a questioning look that turns to concern when a droplet of blood drops onto the shard. You’re running now as you feel the tugs turn into a constant pull on your SOUL. Only when you stop near a large waterfall do you hear him calling out to you. You bring the shard up, hissing when you feel the now sizable cut on your hand.

 

“Are you all right? You’re bleeding a concerning amount!” He seems understandably distraught. You nod your head in the affirmative, but he continues. “Please. Take some time to heal. Or at least bandage your wound!” He seems overly worried, like he thinks you might bleed out.

 

This solicits a small chuckle from you. “I’ll wrap it up. I heal rather fast, though I’m sure not as instantaneous as a God who can actually wield magic. But…” Your smile falls to a neutral look as you gaze at the waterfall. “It’s here. There.”

 

Gaster looks at the waterfall with a more serious expression. “I see.” He gives a sigh. “I assume you will not be deterred then?” Your lips pulling back a little is his answer. “Then set the shard into the satchel. Do not let anything else happen.”

 

You turn to him and smile, nodding. “Of course. I’ll let you know what’s happening as it happens. I will even wrap up my hand so you do not have to worry.” Your smile grows some.

 

He can’t help but smile himself. “Thank you. That’s very considerate of you.”

 

 You put Gaster back into your satchel and pull out a bit of cloth you had for something like this. It’s a simple article of cloth given by a kind traveler, but it’s more than enough. You quickly wrap your hand and set out to the waterfall. The pulling on your SOUL tells you it’s behind the rushing water and you relay this to Gaster. You climb some purple rocks to the side and decide to try to get behind the waterfall from the side. It was a brilliant decision as you hear and see the water crashing violently up close. You tense as you envision yourself being crushed or just swept away in the chaos of liquid. You exhale and press on. Obviously, you’re soaked when you reach the other side, but otherwise, you’re unscathed. Your satchel didn’t have anything in it that would get ruined, thankfully. You pull out the shard.

 

“Are you okay?” you ask. You examine the shard, or more Gaster himself. He doesn’t even seem phased with all of the water dripping down his face.

 

“I am perfectly fine,” he simply states. All right then. You opt to keep the shard in your hand. “I don’t see the shard anywhere.”

 

You look up and around. You’re in a small cavern behind the waterfall with a few rocks and stones sprinkled throughout. Some glowing blue flowers you’ve seen in the area are here, illuminating the area. You didn’t think about them before, but their glow is beautiful when they have enough darkness to show.

 

“They are called Echo Flowers.” You look down to see a smiling God. “They are called as such because they repeat what is said around them. Say something aloud.”

 

You blink. The pull is making it hard to really think, so you say what’s on your mind as you approach one. “Where is the shard?”

 

Sure enough, the flowers around start to repeat the question in unison, making a rather lovely choir of inquiry. It doesn’t satisfy this now overwhelming pull on you. You start to search around where you approached. Behind the rock a flower is perched upon, you see it. It’s cracked, but whole- for a shard. Without a second thought, you pick it up. Finally, the pull is gone. You give a sigh of relief. Gaster notices the slump your shoulders give.

 

“Was the call so uncomfortable?” His tone and socket are laced with concern as you slide the shard in.

 

You shake your head. “You needn’t worry, Gaster. I will be fine.” He gives a hesitant nod. Your gaze now lifts to the now reassuring flowers. “They’re beautiful…” You finally smile, and Gaster gives a more relieved expression. “I hope I get to see them more often.”

 

Gaster looks to the flower atop the rock. “I have not seen them in the mortal realm, so I am unsure if they can flourish there. I would be willing to try bringing some to the mortal realm if I am ever to become whole.”

 

“Do you promise?” You’re looking to him now. You have a soft smile and he reflects it with his own.

 

“I promise.” This makes your smile brighten, but he now looks to you with curiosity. “You spoke earlier about healing. You made it sound as though you are unable to use magic. Surely you must have some proficiency.” You give the faintest shake of your head. “Surely you jest. You must have some semblance of magic if you were able to traverse our realm. I am sure you noticed the only way to our land is through the _closed_ gateway.”

 

You look at him. “That… That was the first I’ve ever been able to use any kind of magic. I knew I had it, yet I found no strength to it.” You look at your free hand, flexing the fingers subconsciously.

“Then you have the ability to use magic. You thought yourself unable this entire time?” You just give a small, embarrassed nod. He sighs and looks to you. “I will walk you through the process of mastering your magic if I am ever to rid myself of this… curse.” He speaks this word flatly. It gives you more resolve.

 

“When.” He looks to you with surprise. “ _When_ you are free of this curse, you can help me.” You offer a smile.

 

He can’t help but to chuckle. That light in your eyes gives him… HOPE. “You have some DETERMINATION in you.” You smile. “Perhaps now would be a good time to rest. This place is hidden enough to keep you safe from Undyne or any prying eyes.”

 

You nod. You are starting to get a little tired. Between all the running around and searching, you feel like a nap might be needed. You haven’t slept since setting out from the village, either. “Will you wake me if anyone does come near?”

 

The shattered God looks to you. His expression is neutral, once again making it near impossible to figure out his thoughts. Then it hits you: he’s trapped in there. The pained look on your face scrunches your features for but a moment before you shake your head. You two agree that he can keep a look out while you rest and you must assure him you’ll be fine leaning on the wall, so you position the shard he inhabits upright next to you. Thus, you slumber.


	6. Knowing the Magic and the Traveler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Gaster speak more. You both learn more about each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! It's a little earlier than I've been posting lately, but I'll be travelling here shortly to get back home from the holiday. Sorry this chapter doesn't have much action or adventure to it and is kinda short. The next chapter will make up for it, I promise!
> 
> I'm very grateful for everyone who's been commenting! I love seeing the theories and guesses and all this excitement! I know I've been very vague in the description of the reader, but I assure you it was on purpose! I want to leave it up to you guys what kind of God-like features you might have. The only thing that's really constant is the hair and eye color. I'd love to hear what any of you have in mind for the reader's appearance!

You wake up to the sound of rushing water. All else seems calm. It takes you a moment to really come back to your surroundings and predicament as your eyes slowly come to the shard where Gaster waits. You give a groggy morning greeting, stretching and yawning, and he gives one back.

Gaster smiles and greets you. “I see you slept well enough.” You nod. Despite having to literally sleep in a cave, you feel rather refreshed. Perhaps next time you go on a life-changing trip, however, at least a blanket is in order. “We should head back out when you’re ready. Do take your time. Undyne is still weary, I am sure.”

You nod. Of course she’s probably still looking for you, but you need to find these shards! With this thought, DETERMINATION drives you to stand, Gaster in hand. You note how odd it is to have a God in your hand but shake the thought and leave the cave. You’re soaked again, but you’ll live. You walk onward, finding a spot to try to dry off as much as possible. You’re in a darker area, unable to really see the purple rocks, but the glowing Echo Flowers and a few glowing rocks allow you to see well enough. It seems like there might be a path, but it’s hard to see. You’re on one of the rocks with Gaster leaning against its base.

As you wring out your now empty satchel, you’re startled by Gaster’s voice. “You said earlier that you love humans, but you are not accepted by them as a whole.” You nod. “I have to ask, what thought lead you to come to the Gods’ realm for a home? You are half God, yes, but you are also half human. I do not mean to sound uninviting, but why did you think the Gods would be so accepting to have you live here?” He pauses. “We do love humans, too, but this is a realm for Gods to reside. Humans wouldn’t be able to sustain themselves.”

You look down to the shard that the God currently resides in. His words give you thought, so you dwell on the thought for a moment. “Well… I am half God, so sustaining myself wouldn’t be hard. But… I figured since the Goddess of Life created me, maybe the Gods would be willing to let me stay. Perhaps it was presumptuous, but I thought at least one of the Gods would understand. Perhaps I would be allowed to stay.” You look out to the glowing stones and flowers, a soft expression playing on your features.

The fragmented God stays silent for a moment. He, too, looks to the scenery around the two of you. You tilt the shard so he can see better. “I suppose you can not be faulted for thinking this. For a long time, the humans had revered us, then started to hate us, and now they love us once more. All this time, we have not let it deter our own love for them.”

You smile more. “Yes. A kind old man that I had talked to one rainy day had suggested that since the Gods had not shown their wrath for the mortals abandoning them so readily, perhaps they might at least know a place for one who does not know their way. Surely they would at the very least guide one such soul. Though I sought to find more than just guidance. Perhaps that might be asking for too much. I will be happy with guidance if that is what you and the other Gods will offer.” You smile softly still, a sense of acceptance and peace in your mind at the thought. Gaster stays silent. You two sit like this for some time before he speaks.

“I think I might be able to offer a little more than guidance if I am to be whole.” You give him your full attention. “Excuse me. When I am to be whole.” The half of the lips you can see smiles to you. “I would like for you to at least visit me in our realm so I might teach you to wield your unique magic. It is much easier here in the heavens.”

You nod. Of course you accept this. If you stay in the mortal realm or live amongst the Gods, you’ll visit this shattered God of magic. His presence is soothing. It’s calming. It feels right. You’re not sure if he feels the same calm you do. It’s sometimes hard to tell what he might be thinking or feeling. It certainly doesn’t help that you can only see half of his face. Speaking of his face… You realize he has a crack under the visible eye. It goes down to his mouth. You hadn’t really noticed much before as you were gazing at the scenery or running from a Goddess on a warpath. He seems to take notice.

“It is an unfortunate price I had to pay to restore the balance after our queen started to make life. A price I paid for making Death.”

Your eyes widen. “My apologies! I did not mean to stare!” Wait. What? You blink a few times as those words ring in your head. Even when the God smiles and assures you that he doesn’t mind and only wished to “appease your curiosity”, you’re shocked. “You… created the Gods of Death?” You’re awestruck and… well impressed.

The God looks to you. Perhaps to try to assess your reaction. “Yes. It was no easy task, I assure you.”

You’re in more awe and jump up from your stone seat. “You created two Gods! Of course it would not be an easy task, even if for a God other than Life herself! I mean yes, you are the God of Magic, but that is… It is more than impressive! It is a miracle! It is a feat to beheld! It is an epic that I am sure would be spread throughout the realms!” Your excitement seems to shock the God you hold. Never has he been so praised so earnestly. The other Gods know he is talented and powerful. Sure, he was congratulated for his feat, but none were so impressed like this. It gives him a smile and appreciation for someone so enthusiastic.

Gaster is about to say something when you both hear something. It sounds like a couple of voices. One sounds a little familiar. Dreadfully familiar. You feel your stomach drop as you grab your satchel. “I think now would be the time to go.” You nod and start ducking your way around, just in case Undyne comes your way. The darkness of the room is perfect to hide.

You both hear the footsteps and you decide that putting the shard in your satchel might be the best choice in case you have to run again as you duck behind some rocks. You don’t notice the glow start to fade a bit until the glow brightens once more. You hear Undyne speak for a moment before passing up your hiding spot. You wait a little bit before revealing yourself. You can’t help but wonder… who was the other voice that was talking to Undyne? You decide not to linger on the thought and pull Gaster back out of the satchel. You both resume your journey, getting through this wonderful area of glowing darkness, onward to find the rest of the shards.


	7. Another Shard, Another Test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You start to see a couple of the other residents of the Gods' realm, but feel another pull on your SOUL. You're led to another piece of the mirror and must overcome a vast obstacle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter! It's a bit longer than my usual chapters. I just couldn't seem to find a fitting place to end and it was just writing itself! I had fun with this chapter and I hope it makes up for essentially a filler chapter. Hope you guys enjoy!

You get through the maze that is this darkening room with the help of your new friend. He’s very forthcoming with advice and guidance that is much needed. Even when the area gets pitch black, he confidently directs you where to go and what to put a little magic into to make the room light up once more. He even talks you through channeling your magic into the plants. It’s not near as hard as opening up the portal to this realm.

You’re soon back where it’s permanently bright. It was beautiful in the dark, seeing the blue glowing flora and crystals. It was like a dream world, but it’s also nice not having to rush to keep any kind of visual. You start to imagine walking through there with Gaster and how he could probably charge the area from a distance. Oh, how you can’t wait to learn from him!

You’re pulled from your fantasies by another pull on your SOUL. It’s faint, so you know the shard is still far off, but you start to see… others? There’s a being with a horse’s torso and head, flexing his muscles as he sits in the water. A fish-like tail springs up to tell you he’s probably not sitting. There’s a mermaid sitting on the rocks by the water, covering her face as she witnesses this. She seems bashful.

You look to the shard you hold as Gaster speaks up. “Those are two of the lesser Gods. Shyren, the Goddess of Music and Aaron, the God of the Sea. Or more specifically, those that dwell there. I am not sure how they will react to your presence, but from what I remember, most of the Gods love the mortals, so you should not be in too much danger. I would still recommend caution when approaching.”

You give a nod. You try to go around, but it’s impossible to stay out of sight. Aaron spots you and calls out to you. “Hey! I haven’t seen you around the realms! Would you like to partake in-“ His sudden outburst seemed to have scared the meek Goddess, for she gives a soft yelp and escapes both of your presence. “Hey! Come back, Shyren!” He turns to you and winks. “Shyren scares easy. Don’t go anywhere.” And with that, he dives into the water and swims after her.

You’re left standing there, dumbfounded. You blink a couple of times before realizing what strange encounter you just walked into. A clearing of the throat turns your attention to your companion. “I would suggest we continue. If you stay and watch what he has to show, we will be here for an eternity, I am sure.” You nod with conviction and hurriedly go, still so very confused as to what happened. Hopefully all of the lesser Gods are this friendly- or at least nonviolent.

As you walk, you see a couple more lesser Gods, Gaster telling you of them and a short explanation as to what they do. You start to feel the pull you’ve been anticipating. The call starts to lead you on. Soon enough, you see less of them and hear an older voice ahead. You hear Undyne’s along with it and decide to hide until you don’t hear her anymore. You can hear bits and pieces of the conversation and it sounds like Undyne is warning this older God of your presence, calling you a dangerous intruder and to let her know if you’re seen. The older one assures her he will and Undyne gives a farewell before rushing off.

You stay in your hiding spot, listening to see if the stranger leaves as well, but find yourself instead startled. He calls out to you! “Are you going to stay there all day? I have all the time in the universe, so I can wait.” He certainly sounds like he means no harm, but… Is Gaster okay? You look to him for guidance, but he seems in a daze.

“Gaster?” Your voice is soft, concerned. He snaps out of whatever thought he was in and looks to you with surprise. “Are you okay?”

He gives a short nod. “Yes. That… That is Gerson’s voice.” Your eyes widen and before you can say anything, Gaster chuckles. “Yes, he is the God of Wisdom. You can trust him. I do not think he would call upon Undyne to bring your doom.”

Your cheeks flush ever so slightly with embarrassment as you nod. You slowly come out of your hiding spot, revealing yourself to this God. Indeed, you know him as the God of Wisdom, one to pray to if you require guidance or are lost about your ways. You had prayed to him when you felt the most lost in your search to find yourself and your place in the world. The next day, you had to seek shelter in an old man’s home who had told you to go to the mountain and seek out the Gods.

“Ah. There you are! You sure know how to provoke Undyne!” He seems amused. You just blink. “You do not have to stand there. Come this way, young’un.” You do as requested, following the old turtle. Tortoise? You can never tell sometimes. He isn’t much taller than you and his short beard seems to compliment him well. As you follow him, the pull on your SOUL seems to intensify. Gaster seems to notice, but says nothing in front of the other God. “I see you’re holding a shard in your hand. Any reason you have a broken mirror?”

You’re quiet for a moment, unsure of how to respond. After looking to Gaster, whose face is once more unreadable, you turn to the elder God. “It’s not mine, but I’m trying to help a friend put it back together.”

Gerson pauses his steps and looks back to you, looking at you before giving a hearty laugh. “That is very kind of you! You know, I found a piece of a mirror myself. I’m not tall or agile enough to get it. It’s lodged in an overhang in the wall. It’s too steep to climb, so I’m not sure how you can get it.”

You look to him as the two of you continue. “I can always try.” 

This elicits another laugh. “I won’t stop you! In fact, you might be able to if you do try.” The pull gets stronger and stronger as you go until you’re sure you’re upon the shard. Suddenly, you bump into the God’s hard shell, unaware that he had stopped. You apologize profusely, but the elder points up. “It’s up there.”

You stop and look up. Welp. It sure is up there. It’s on a ledge about fifteen feet up a steep wall. It’s visible where you are solely because it’s jutting out an edge slightly. The elder God still looks up to it. “You might be able to use those nimble limbs of yours if you’re careful.” He rubs his chin in thought. “Though it might be hard to do without magic… Near impossible even.” You look at him. What? But… You look to the shard in your hand. Gaster is still impossible to interpret. Great. This is great. “You can use magic, right? You’re not entirely human, so you have to have something.” You look up to the wise elder before you. “Worth a try, like you said, right?” He gives an almost challenging smile.

You look up at the challenge before you. You inhale. Will you take on this challenge, even if it’s impossible? “Yeah… It is.” You have to! You promised Gaster! You put the shard you were holding down with your satchel. You know he can see and hear everything, so you can’t help but glance at him. His expression seemed to have broken to that of concern. You give him a reassuring smile as you stand up straight. The daunting task won’t be easy. You know it, but if you can’t do this, how are you going to help Gaster get the other shards? What about the shards in the other realms? You need to try, and you need to have some sort of grip on your magic. You can use it. It’s how you got here. You can do this! But first…

“You’re going to try climbing first?” The God looks to you quizzically.

Your cheeks flush a little in embarrassment. “It is worth trying before using magic, I would think.” You give a sheepish shrug.

Gerson smiles and nods. “I think it would be wise to explore every option, sure.”

With that, you nod and come up to the wall, placing your hands on it. It’s not easy to find any placing for your hands and feet. You get about three feet up before seeing how hard it is. You continue, DETERMINATION filling you as you feel the tug. You get a couple more feet up before you barely miss a good foothold. You fall the five feet with a painful thud. You see Gaster wince. You can’t help but look to him. He seems like he’s trying to stay silent. 

The elder God nods with understanding. “It seems like it is possible to climb without magic, but you’d have to have the strength and stamina of Undyne. How about a try at your magic?”

You stand and rub your elbow. It scraped a little on the fall, but it’ll heal quickly. You seem a bit hesitant and Gerson picks up on it right away. “I… I do not use much magic. Or at all, before today.”

Gerson hums in thought. “Well! No time like the present, huh? I do have a few duties to perform, but they are not so important that I can’t lend my guidance to a young soul in need!” He walks over to you. “I can spare a few moments of my time.” He backs away enough to give you room. “Now I want you to focus on your SOUL. That’s where your magic comes from.” You nod. You know this, but you won’t dare say anything to a God that’s trying to help you. You inhale much like you did at the entrance to the realm. “Visualize what it is you need to do. Your magic works with your desires.” 

You think about the shard. You think about how you need to get it. You know you can open portals- or at least the one that leads here. Can you open portals outside of that? Your brows furrow as you think. You exhale sharply. The tugging on your SOUL is extremely distracting when coupled with these doubts. Gerson indeed has patience that can rival Gaster’s. Maybe even surpass it. He waits as you look back to Gaster. He seems a bit more calm, though he gives a questioning look. Oh, how you want to see him smile. With this in mind, you turn back and inhale. 

You think back on what you did to get here. You focus all of your energy. You can feel it molding to your desire. It pools as you outstretch your arms in front of you. That’s it! That’s the green magic you saw around the portal! You focus. You try to envision a portal like before. You try to envision it leading to that shard. The magic extends from your arms and out in front of you. You’re doing it! It’s working! It- It fades out. What? Why? You fall to your knees.

Gerson’s voice grabs your attention. “My my! That was a good try! It would seem you’re a bit distracted. Would you like me to fetch a little morsel to eat? I’m sure you haven’t eaten much since getting here.”

You admit to yourself you should eat. You’ve only had the water from the pools and springs here. You give him a nod, a tad defeated. Gerson smiles and approaches, placing a hand on your shoulder. “Fret not. I’m sure that after you rest, you can get that shard. Try not to let Undyne find you until I get back.”

You nod once more and Gerson smiles as he leaves. He’s right. You’re hungry. Maybe that’s why you had a hard time. You were already fed and nourished when you came in here, but since then you’ve ran from a war Goddess, climbed through a waterfall, and sat in a room away from the realms for Gods know how long. You even had to rest behind the waterfall. You’re snapped out of these thoughts by Gaster this time. “Are you well?”

You look to him. “Yes, I am fine. Thank you, Gaster.” You give him a smile. “I believe that Gerson may be right. I have not eaten since arriving to your home. I am able to go longer than humans without food, but it does help to stay well fed.”

He looks to you from his perch on the ground. “I see. Then perhaps it will easier to focus your magic after a meal.” His expression hardens somewhat. “However, I would advise you not exhaust yourself.”

You can’t help but smile a little. His concern is touching, and it makes you feel warm. You nod to assure him. “I will do what I can, but I assure you I will be able to get the shard.”

Gaster smiles, knowing fully what that determined look in your eye is. “I am certain you will acquire it, but I must implore you to take your time as to be more careful.”

You nod. You two quiet as you hear footsteps draw near. Is it Gerson or Undyne? Please let it be-

“Hope you didn’t wither away while I was gone!” Thank the Gods! It’s Gerson.

You shake your head and smile as you’re given some bread, meat, and cheese. “I am fine. Thank you for sharing your food and wisdom with me.”

Gerson waves off the praise as you both start to eat your simple meal. For the most part, you two are quiet, Gerson watching as you try to eat your meal in a respectful manner. Oh how hard it is. You can’t shake the feeling that no matter how poised you try to make yourself, you look like a slob. This is why you’re quiet. Once you two are finished, Gerson stands and dusts himself off.

“All right. Are you ready to give it another shot?” You quickly stand and nod. “Good. I’ll stay right here.”

One more nod. You take in a breath and look up to your goal. You can do this! For your friend! You focus again, both Gerson and Gaster watching you closely. Like before, you get the green magic to flow around your hands. This is it… It’s flowing forward. It makes a ball-sized circle, but it’s flickering and looks unstable. You try to focus more. You envision a clean portal like the one you made to get here. You envision it showing you the shard. It’s taking a bit longer than you’d like, but it’s starting to form more cleanly. Before it fades completely. Damnit! You breathe and glance to Gerson, who motions for you to try again. You steady your breathing and do so. It takes a few tries. Each time you get a bit further. It almost looks like Undyne will find you before you can get it to open. One more failure. You were so close this time! You saw a glimpse this time, but it just couldn’t stay open! You won’t let this deter you! You’re close, and that means it’s just a matter of time! Maybe this next try will do it. If not, you’ll keep trying! You hold your arms out again and form the small portal. It’s getting tiring doing this over and over, but you need to keep going! Just a little more… Gerson smiles wide. It’s open! You can see the shard!

“Well! That is an interesting magic! You’d better grab it quick!”

You keep your eyes on the shard. You try to time this right. You don’t know if moving will close the portal. It’s hard to hold it, so you do need to be quick. One more breath and you reach out as fast as a scorpion’s tail. You grab the shard and retreat. Just as you thought, the portal closes as soon as your hand is back to you. You look at the shard in your hand. You did it! You actually did it! You cut yourself on the shard in your recklessness, but you have it! You smile in triumph, laughing a little under your breath.

“Good job, young’un! You obtained your desire. So what now?”

You look to the elder and smile. “I am going to continue to seek the other pieces.”

“Yes, but how are you going to get them?”

This gives you slight pause. “I am not sure I understand. Can I not obtain my desire like I have now?”

The elder runs his hand along his beard. “I suppose you could, but you need to gain a better understanding. Better control. What will you do if Undyne finds you and she hasn’t calmed down yet? That magic you have could easily rescue you, but you’ve yet to fully grasp it.”

You give this a little thought, then look to Gerson in earnest. “I will have to master it, then.”

He gives a wide smile and laughs. “That’s the spirit! Think you can do it before she finds you?”

“I have to if I am to help my friend. I am sure I can thanks to your guidance, Elder God.” You smile and bow your head. 

This makes him laugh more. “No need for such stiff gestures! Just be sure not to let this lesson go to waste. Good luck!” With that, he leaves you and Gaster to yourselves.

You can’t help but smile. “That was very dangerous, ____.” You look to see Gaster looking to you sternly. Your smile fades in embarrassment. “I appreciate what you are doing to help, but you should not be so reckless! You could easily be hurt with such actions! I cannot condone this!”  
You look to Gaster with pursed lips. “I apologize, Gaster. I promise you I will not seriously injure myself. I just want to help as much as I can, like I promised I would!”

Gaster finds himself sighing in defeat. He knows you’re very determined to help him. It’s how humans are, and you are half. It would be no use telling you to stop this quest and the both of you know it well. “Please be sure you do not bring yourself harm.” You give him a nod and he smiles. “Do you need to rest before we continue?”

You give another nod. “I think it would be best. I find myself a little tired.”

Gaster chuckles a little. “Magic can put a strain on the user’s SOUL if they are not accustomed to its use.”

You smile and nod. You’ve used your magic a lot in a small span of time. You sit next to your friend’s shard and look to your hand. You’ve gained a new skill! You’re excited to learn to wield it. If you can use it outside of preconstructed gateways, you can go anywhere you can fathom in mere seconds! This will make gathering the shards of the mirror that much easier! For now, you focus on resting with Gaster. You even find a half loaf of bread on a cloth with cheese and some meat. Gerson certainly was a great help. You’ll have to find a way to properly thank him for his guidance and wisdom.


	8. Confrontations and Compromises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get to a new area of the heavens, but someone finds you and you're forced to face the very Goddess you've been trying to avoid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! I'm so, so sorry that I'm so late with this update. Life threw quite a lot at me and things have been hectic since. Unfortunately, it's not all cleared quite yet, so I might have to go on an official hiatus. I'm not sure until when, but the latest I'm hoping to come back is mid July. I apologize for the extended wait. However! I have an idea that I shall share at the end notes!

You’ve rested and now head out. You continue to search for mirror shards, but find yourself seeing more and more Gods and Goddesses. You try to stay out of sight or at least out of anyone’s way. The other Gods and Goddesses seem to regard you with a neutral disposition or better. One does mention to you that Undyne has been looking for an intruder and that you shouldn’t get caught by her. Oh. They do know you’re not from here. This makes you feel a little more welcome and you thank them.

 

This does bring up something that plagues your mind, however. They know that Undyne is looking for you. They seem kind, but if Undyne asks, they would most likely tell her that they saw you. You bring this up to Gaster, who only confirms that they probably would. Wonderful. He’s just as concerned as you and tries to reassure you that the lesser Gods and Goddesses would most likely tell Undyne that you’re not threatening in the least. It does make you feel a little better, but does nothing to the growing fear of confrontation.

 

Onward you go, despite this fear. You do have a promise to keep. The surroundings start to change as you walk on. It gets brighter slightly. You start to see orange. A complete change from where you’ve been. As you just start seeing the solid change, you hear a voice a distance behind you. Oh. Oh no. No no no. “YOU!!!!” You spin around quickly, shard in hand, only to see Undyne charging toward you. You don’t think twice. You turn around and dart away into the orange landscape. You think you’re getting good headway, until you hear thunderous footsteps getting closer behind you. You look around frantically for somewhere to lose her. No such luck. “STOP RIGHT THERE!!!” A spear flies past you, dangerously close.

 

With the way you’re running, you know the Goddess of War wouldn’t miss. That was a warning. You can hear she’s close herself. You make a sharp turn as you hear her grunt. “THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING, INTRUDER!!! STOP OR I WON’T MISS!!!” You think about stopping. The bridge ahead really makes you think about stopping. Anywhere else is open space or- is that lava? In the heavens?! You get to the bridge and turn around, your heart racing. Undyne is barreling toward you at full speed. You know you won’t make it across the bridge, so you stay put.

 

You close your eyes and brace for impact as she nears you. You wait. You wait some more. Why hasn’t she knocked you over yet? You slowly open an eye, only to be met with a cyan spear brimming with magic. Oh. That’s why. Undyne stands before you, pointing her spear at you, but you don’t see a burning hatred. Yet. “Why did you run?!”

 

You blink, your entire body tense. “You… were running at me?”

 

“I mean when I first saw you! Don’t play games with me!” Undyne glares at you, moving the spear closer.

 

You keep your eyes on hers, your form shrinking like when you felt intimidated by Gaster. You feel so small, and scared. “I… I got scared.” You shrink further, gripping your satchel. Oh, how you wish Gaster could help you. He could maybe calm her and you can explain everything.

 

“And why would you need to be scared, huh?” She scowls down to you, baring her teeth. You’d probably be in awe at how magnificent she looks if her rage wasn’t directed at you. “Only the guilty should have anything to fear!”

 

You stammer. Of course you stammer at such a time! “Y-you’re Undyne, the Goddess of War.” She raises a brow. Damnit. That’s obvious. You suck in a breath and with it, a bit of courage. “You’ve fallen more foes of the Gods than anyone and y-your wrath is known throughout the mortal realm.”

 

Her eyes widen and she tightens her grip on the spear. “Mortal realm?! You’re a mortal?!”

 

This makes you flinch. You can see there isn’t any rage in the Goddess’ eyes. “N-no. Not exactly! I am but a demi-God.” Undyne pauses. She looks a little surprised, though you know she knew this. It must be a shock to actually hear it. You use this pause to continue. “I came here to find the shards of a magic mirror for a friend. He finds himself unable to travel by himself, so I have offered to help him.” You hurriedly pull out one of the shards you’ve collected.

 

Undyne looks a little confused, but shoots you a look after gazing at it. “And they’re here in our home?” You nod. “How did you even get here?! The gateway is closed!”

 

You pause. Should you tell her you were able to open it? Would she believe it? Would she believe anything else? You swallow and speak once more. “I-I was able to open it, yes, but I could not keep it open.”

 

Undyne’s grip on her spear tightens. “And what are you going to do when you find all of these pieces?” She looks to you expectantly.

 

You’re nervous. Of course you would be, but you decide the truth is much better than lying. You have a feeling Undyne would be able to sniff out a lie anyway. “I… was hoping to see if I could live here?” Your answer is quiet and unsure as you shrink back. You wish you could have Gaster help you. He’d probably know exactly what to say. He’s smart and has known Undyne much longer.

 

But Undyne blanks. You’re not sure what to do or say. “You. Want to live here? In the Gods’ realm?” You sheepishly nod. She laughs. Well that’s not SOUL crushing at all. “You want to live with the Gods after TRESPASSING here?!”

 

Your voice is soft, guilt-ridden. “I tried praying.”

 

This makes Undyne stop. “What?”

 

“I’ve tried praying to the Gods. I don’t know where else I could go.”

 

She gives a questioning look. “So, living here wasn’t just some after thought after being caught where you’re not supposed to be?” Her only answer is the twiddling of your tail. She exhales a sigh. “Why in the stars would you want to live here and not where you were born?”

“I…” You pause. You’re not sure how to word it. It was so easy to talk about it with Gaster. Why can’t you find the words now? At the most critical time! “I don’t think the mortal world is meant for demi-Gods.”

 

Her expression doesn’t change, but she seems to think. “So you think the heavens would be?”

 

You give a shrug, coupled with a weak smile. “I was hoping to try?”

 

A moment passes the two of you, Undyne staring you down. She seems to be thinking. After a moment, she brings back her spear, the magic dissipating. You give an internal sigh of relief. “All right. Tell you what. Since you’re being cooperative _now_ , I’ll let you go around and collect these shards. You’re lucky some of the other Gods and Goddesses have told me about you. However, if you do anything against any of us, I will not hesitate to hunt you down and smite you myself!”

 

You give a nod. “O-of course I would never! Only a fool would ever think of coming to the Gods and challenging them!”

 

She narrows her eyes. “Right. Keep that in mind. I’ll be keeping my eyes on you.”

 

You nod. “I promise I will not do anything to wrong you or the other Gods!”

 

Undyne scoffs but gives a smirk. “Yeah. You’d better not!”

 

This makes you smile as well. She chuckles as she sees the awe and admiration starting to grow in your eyes. Not only is Undyne a fearsome force, but she can be compassionate and understanding. A true Goddess of War! Not blindly pointing her spear at any and all! “I’ll tell you when I get them all together!” You’re excited now. You met Undyne the Undying, Goddess of War!

 

“Good. You don’t seem so bad. Don’t change my mind.” You nod and she turns, leaving you in lava-filled environment. You didn’t notice until now, but it seems she might’ve been… uncomfortable? You brush off the thought and hold the shard up when Undyne is gone. Gaster holds a look of surprise.

 

“You managed to quell Undyne’s suspicions. I am quite impressed!”

 

You let out a breath. “She was certainly as terrifying as I thought, but I thought the truth would be for the best.”

 

Gaster nods. “Undyne is not one for deception. She might be able to sense a lie, but I cannot be certain. I myself do not tend to cover the truth.”

 

You nod. You find yourself finding a seat on the orange stone beneath you. “I think I might need to rest.” Gaster seems to agree with you. Running from Undyne as well as the confrontation took a bit more out of you than you’d like. “Perhaps with Undyne’s blessing, I can take a little more time and even practice using my magic.” You smile at the thought, as does Gaster. It’s a fine idea and Gaster promises to guide you to the best of his ability from within his prison. After a bit of rest, you set out to practice and to find any more shards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, everyone. I've had an idea for a while now and I think it might be a good time to implement it. I'd like to do a Q&A for the AJfM characters and myself! Just ask whatever questions in the comments here or the post I will be making on my DeviantArt account! Once I get a fair amount of questions, I will be doing the answers in comic form and posting it to DeviantArt. I'll link it all in this chapter or if I can get a new chapter up before July, it'll be there.
> 
> DeviantArt Announcement: https://www.deviantart.com/cherushi-senpai/journal/AJfM-Q-and-A-Time-789620513


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